Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced its first quantum computing chip, named Ocelot, which aims to significantly reduce the cost of quantum error correction by up to 90%. This development follows similar efforts by other tech giants like Microsoft, as the race to advance quantum computing technology intensifies.
The Ocelot chip, developed in collaboration with the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), represents a breakthrough in creating fault-tolerant quantum computers. These computers are expected to solve complex problems in business and science that are currently beyond the reach of traditional computing systems.
A recent paper published in the journal Nature by the AWS quantum computing team demonstrates a new approach to fault-tolerant quantum computing. The team has employed an innovative design using "cat qubits," which require fewer hardware components for quantum error correction. This design effectively counters specific types of noise and errors that could disrupt quantum systems.
Cat qubits are inspired by the Schrödinger's cat thought experiment, which describes a quantum system that can exist in two distinct states simultaneously. This approach inherently resists certain errors, known as bit-flip errors, at the hardware level, although it can be more susceptible to phase-flip errors. By focusing on correcting phase-flip errors, AWS has developed a more efficient quantum error correction code, reducing the need for additional qubits.
AWS researchers have successfully integrated cat qubit technology with other quantum error correction components onto a microchip, which can be manufactured using scalable processes borrowed from the microelectronics industry. Although Ocelot is currently a prototype, it marks a significant step towards building practical fault-tolerant quantum computers.
Oskar Painter, AWS's head of quantum hardware, emphasized that the Ocelot architecture could dramatically lower the resources needed for error correction, potentially reducing costs by 80% compared to current methods. He stated that the latest advancements mean it's no longer a question of if, but when fault-tolerant quantum computers will be ready for practical applications. The Ocelot chip could accelerate the timeline for realizing usable quantum computers by up to five years.
